The 10 Countries That Dump the Most Plastic in the Ocean

How Does Plastic Get Into the Ocean?

About 14 million tons (12.7 million metric tons) of plastic wind up in the ocean every year. That’s approximately the weight of 140 aircraft carriers (at 100,000 tons apiece)! A fraction of this is the result of storms and tsunamis that sweep houses and possessions out to sea. Roughly 20-30% of oceanic plastic comes from marine activities like fishing. The rest is mostly the result of people throwing garbage into rivers, which flow out to sea.

In the ocean, it takes plastic a very long time to break down. Experts estimate a plastic bag will take 20 years to decompose; a plastic bottle up to 450 years; and plastic fishing line 600 years. Just think, if the Jamestown colonists had used plastic bottles, those same bottles might still be floating in the ocean today!

What Are Microplastics?

Plastic debris in the ocean comes in all sizes. Some types of plastic become brittle as they age in the hot sun and salt water of the high seas. Small pieces fleck off. When these are less than 5 mm in length, they are called “microplastics.” Microplastics also come from non-biodegradable polyethylene microbeads included in toothpaste and exfoliants to create an abrasive effect. These beads are tiny enough to pass through filters and easily enter the world’s oceans. One study found microplastics in 75% of fish species sampled and 25% of the individual fish of those species. Approximately 30% of shellfish such as shrimp contain microplastics as well.

How Harmful Are Microplastics?

The National Institutes of Health reports that lab experiments with human cells and mice demonstrated that microplastics can be damaging to health. They can cause inflammation, oxidative stress, disturbances in lipid metabolism, problems with gut bacteria, and neurotoxicity. There is no known way to remove microplastics from the body.

The Top 10 Countries Responsible for Oceanic Plastic

According to CIWEM, the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management based in London, the following countries are the worst offenders when it comes to oceanic plastic waste.

1. India

India is the main polluter of our oceans when it comes to plastic. This country dumps 278.9 million pounds (126.5 million kg) of plastic into the ocean annually.

2. China

Each year, China is responsible for adding 155.9 million pounds (70.7 million kg) of plastic to our bodies of water.

3. Indonesia

Indonesia is another major player in plastic pollution, contributing 117.5 million pounds (53.3 million kg) of plastic each year.

4. Brazil

Brazil is the only non-Asian country in the top five worst polluters. This South American country is heavy on plastic pollution, adding 83.8 million pounds (38 million kg) to the world’s oceans annually.

5. Thailand

Thailand dumps 50 million pounds (22.8 million kg) of plastic with each passing year.

6. Mexico

The first North American country on our list, Mexico contributes 7.7 million pounds (3.5 million kg) of bottles, bags, and other plastics every year.

7. Egypt

Egypt is the only African country in the top 10 worst offenders, dumping 5.5 million pounds (2.5 million kg) of plastic into our precious water sources annually.

8. United States

The United States ties with Egypt, releasing 5.5 million pounds (2.4 million kg) of awful plastic into water bodies each year.

9. Japan

Annually, Japan is responsible for four million pounds (1.84 million kg) of plastic waste polluting our oceans.

10. United Kingdom

Though last on our list, the U.K. is still guilty of pushing 1.5 million pounds (0.7 million kg) of plastic into the oceans each year.

What Can Countries Do?

These are some of the recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme for countries to end plastic waste:

1. Reduce – products should be delivered in a way that does not require a plastic container. For example, dry products could be substituted for liquified ones.
2. Reorient – shift toward sustainable alternatives on both the supply and demand sides of the equation.
3. Reuse – create an economy where reusing and refilling products is more economical than throwing them away.
4. Recycle – design plastic products to make them recyclable in the market where they are sold.

Countries can incentivize consumers and businesses to make these changes by imposing taxes that make plastics more expensive, and thus more desirable to reuse or recycle. They could also give tax incentives to companies that take environmentally friendly steps to change their packaging or to establish recycling programs.

What Can You Do?

Individuals who are concerned about the impact of plastics on the environment have a lot of possibilities for activism. Here are just a few suggestions:

• Contact elected officials to make your concerns known.
• Contact companies that are the main producers of plastic waste and petition them to change their packaging strategies.
• Educate yourself about plastic waste and share what you learn with family and friends.
• Use the app My Little Plastic Footprint to assess your “plastic footprint” on the world.
• Reduce, reuse, and recycle your family’s plastic waste.

Ultimately, millions of daily choices add up to a major problem like plastic waste. Likewise, millions of daily choices are required to undo the damage.